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I first became
interested in the Chinese healing arts after having practiced the
Chinese internal arts including the martial and healing practices of
Tai Ji and Qi Gong, respectively. I owe a great debt of gratitude to
these ancient traditions for helping me to develop the strong root, focused intent, and sensitive touch that make me successful. "to become a healer, one must first be healed" |
I began my career in the Chinese healing arts after receiving my massage certification from the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA the summer of 2001. Since that time I have furthered my massage skills with more Tui Na (Chinese Massage) classes and attended Cranial-Sacral workshops as well. In 2003, I was certified by the National Certification Board for Massage Therapy and Bodywork. More recently I completed my Masters in Chinese Medicine at the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences in Oakland, CA, while also serving as a faculty member of the school's Tui Na Certification program. I received my Acupuncture License from the State of California in October 2005.
Maintaining a private massage practice since 2001 and acupuncture in 2005, I have worked with all types of chronic and acute pain including headaches, backaches, arthritis/joint pain, abdominal discomfort, shoulder/neck pain; as well as mental/emotional distress including insomnia, anxiety, irritability and depression; women's disorders like painful menstruation, infertility, pregnancy pain and post-partum weaknesses, and menopausal symptoms; and chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, hyper/hypothyroid and autoimmune disorder's like lupus, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia; and I am especially fond of services for the elderly including on-site acupuncture/massage and Qi Gong class at 2 retirement homes here in Marin County. I also see alot of new parents and their kids as I too am a (relatively) new parent with two kids of my own!
People often ask, "What's your specialty?". My response is, "What's your problem?" While this is a joke mean't to garner a laugh, it is only funny because it is at least partially true. I chose Chinese medicine because it has so much to offer. I have confidence that I can help almost any person who walks through my door and that feels good, which is why I'm smiling almost all of the time. By focusing on the individual rather than the disease, I aim to become a specialist on YOU. Each and every individual is unique and their experience is constantly changing. When sick, Chinese medicine has a systematic approach to identifying the imbalance and then correcting it for that individual at that time. The imbalance always consists of two parts: 1. an internal weakness that has left the patient susceptible, and 2. an external pathogenic factor that causes sickness. The goal then is to treat both symptom and root to acheive timely results without negative side-effects. In fact, most of my patients report 'side-benefits' from our treatments!
Not to be forgotten, "prevention is the best cure". Optimizing physiological functions while detoxifying accumulations is always a goal so as to prevent injury, sickness and disease. Once past prevention, it is best to attend to the ailment as early as possible to prevent it from lodging deeper and causing a greater imbalance requiring more significant intervention to correct. In this regard, I focus alot on nutrition, healthy exercise, and other lifestyle modifications where necessary. My motto is, "compassionate care with results!"
Please click here for a quick look at what my patients are saying...